Procedural Degeneration For A New Generation
Procedural Degeneration is Mr. Splice Guy’s mutated homage to the original punk scientists, Devo. A six-song EP selecting tracks pulled from Devo’s musical catalog spanning from 1977 to 1982.I never got into Devo’s music, and the only track I remember and liked was “Whip It.” I thought it was entertaining, rhythmic, and humorous. I am leaving it to Mr. Splice Guy to change my view of that band’s output.
“Mongoloid” kicks things into high-energy gear straight away, and it moves fast, with some fluid and appealing vocals. It’s a rocker, but I heard no indication of any surf elements. I really liked it just the same, and it sure sounded like Devo's vocals!
“Patterns” takes care of the surfy sounds right away with the guitar, and then the vocals come in, which are excellent. There is some twang in there and more rhythm guitar work to keep the flow going, as the bass and drums are a solid foundation. This one is a real toe tapper.
“Mr. B’s Ballroom” continues with the excellent music and vocals. This is a rocker with some fine transitional guitar work. This is like a party anthem good for any day of the week!
“The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprise” keeps the momentum going, leaning more towards straight rock, minus the surf elements, with soaring vocals, irresistible rhythmic phrasing from all positions, and some razor-sharp guitar leads.
“Social Fools” is another rocker with a full-speed-ahead type of rhythm section. Some twangy moments are interspersed between the rock. The vocals once again lean more into the Devo style than other tracks.
“Freedom of Choice” winds up this EP with their consistent flow of non-stop energy. Their final nod to the legendary Devo. It’s all rock here. Great echoing guitar sounds with a little bit of twang peppered in there around the edges.
Procedural Degeneration is a fun listen, with excellent vocals and instrumentation that lean more towards rock than surf, but just enough to catch a few waves. The question remains: Who is the recording artist? Is it Dr. Smoladh (if it is, yeah, his music does smolder!) or could it be Cub von Spud, even though there was a hand in the artwork with Dave Mahan. Or could it be Dave or Erik Peabody?
Whoever is behind Procedural Degeneration has delivered an enjoyable and original tribute to Devo’s catalog. This EP has sparked my curiosity, and I’m genuinely tempted to revisit Devo’s music to discover what I may have overlooked all these years.
Notes:
Recorded and engineered by Dr. Smoladh at Three Mile Island, Unit 2 Reactor, PA USA.
Mixed and mastered at Viking Guitar Studio by Erik Peabody. www.vikingguitar.com
Album art drawn by Dave Mahan
Album art concept by Dave Mahan/Cub von Spud
Keith
“MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Founder
May 9, 2026
Tracks:
1. Mongoloid 3:52
2. Patterns 3:07
3. Mr B's Ballroom 2:53
4. The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprise 2:41
5. Social Fools 2:56
6. Freedom of Choice 3:22
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